Endframe of a gangway, gangway, multi-car vehicle and method of connecting the gangway to a multi-car vehicle

Abstract

An endframe of a gangway, the endframe configured to be connected to an endframe of a different gangway or to a car of a multi-car vehicle, the endframe comprising a beam, a connector attached to the beam, the connector being configured to connect the beam to a beam of an endframe of a different gangway or to connect the beam to a car of a multi-car vehicle or to connect the beam to a connector attached to a beam of an endframe of a different gangway or to connect the beam to a connector attached to a car of a multi-car vehicle, wherein a contact surface formed by a part of the beam and a groove arranged in the beam, wherein the groove has an opening and walls that delimit the groove, wherein one of the walls delimiting the groove is a backward facing wall, wherein the backward facing wall faces away from the contact surface, wherein the connector has a protrusion that is arranged inside the groove.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An endframe of a gangway, the endframe configured to be connected to an endframe of a different gangway or to a car of a multi-car vehicle, the endframe comprising:
 a beam; 
 a connector attached to the beam, the connector adapted to connect the beam to a beam of an endframe of a different gangway or to connect the beam to a car of a multi-car vehicle or to connect the beam to a connector attached to a beam of an endframe of a different gangway or to connect the beam to a connector attached to a car of a multi-car vehicle; 
 wherein
 a contact surface is formed by a part of the beam; and 
 a groove arranged in the beam, wherein the groove has an opening and walls that delimit the groove, wherein one of the walls delimiting the groove is a backward facing wall, the backward facing wall facing away from the contact surface; 
 
 wherein the connector has a protrusion that is arranged inside the groove; 
 wherein the connector has a protruding pin, a protruding bolt or a protruding hook and the contact surface is arranged in a plane (E); 
 wherein all remaining parts of the connector apart from the protruding pin, the protruding bolt or the protruding hook are arranged on one side of this plane (E); 
 wherein the backward facing wall is arranged in another plane (E 3 ); and 
 wherein the angle (ALPHA) between the plane (E), in which the contact surface is arranged, and the plane (E 3 ), in which the backward facing wall is arranged, is >0° and <90°. 
 
     
     
       2. The endframe according to  claim 1 , wherein the endframe has the shape of a ring that surrounds a passage space. 
     
     
       3. The endframe according to  claim 2 , wherein the contact surface forms a ring. 
     
     
       4. The endframe according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector is bolted to the beam. 
     
     
       5. The endframe according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact surface at least partially overlaps the backward facing wall when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane (E), in which the contact surface is arranged. 
     
     
       6. The endframe according to  claim 1 , wherein the groove extends in parallel to the contact surface. 
     
     
       7. The endframe according to  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the connector that is arranged inside the groove has an intermediate part that extends parallel to the contact surface and has an end part that projects at an angle to the intermediate part. 
     
     
       8. The endframe according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam is a profiled beam that has a section that in cross-section is c- or u-shaped, and wherein the opening of the groove opens towards an interior of the section that in cross-section is c- or u-shaped. 
     
     
       9. A gangway of a multi-car vehicle having an endframe according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
       10. The gangway according to  claim 9 , wherein the gangway has a first part that has a first bellows and an endframe, and a second part that has a second bellows and another endframe, and wherein the endframe of the first part is attached to the another endframe of the second part. 
     
     
       11. A multi-car vehicle having a gangway according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
       12. The multi-car vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein a car of the multi-car vehicle has a frame, and wherein an endframe of the gangway is attached to the frame of the car. 
     
     
       13. A method of connecting a gangway to a frame of a multi-car vehicle, wherein the gangway includes an endframe comprising a beam and a connector attached to the beam, wherein the frame of a car of the multi-car vehicle has a contact surface, and wherein, in connecting the endframe to the frame of the car, the method comprises:
 pressing a contact surface of the endframe against the contact surface of the frame; or 
 arranging a seal between the contact surface of the endframe and the contact surface of the frame; said method further comprising:
 arranging a groove in a beam of the endframe, the groove having an opening and walls that delimit the groove, wherein one of the walls delimiting the groove is a backward facing wall, the backward facing wall facing away from a contact surface, the connector having a protrusion that is arranged inside the groove; 
 wherein the connector has a protruding pin, a protruding bolt or a protruding hook and the contact surface is arranged in a plane (E); 
 wherein all remaining parts of the connector apart from the protruding pin, the protruding bolt or the protruding hook are arranged on one side of this plane (E); 
 wherein the backward facing wall is arranged in another plane (E 3 ); and 
 
 wherein the angle (ALPHA) between the plane (E), in which the contact surface is arranged, and the plane (E 3 ), in which the backward facing wall is arranged, is >0° and <90°. 
 
     
     
       14. A method of connecting a first part of a gangway of a multi-car vehicle to a second part of the gangway, wherein the first part of the gangway has a first bellows and an endframe, and a second part of the gangway has a second bellows and another endframe, and wherein the endframe of the first part is connected to the another endframe of the second part by:
 pressing a contact surface of the endframe of the first part against a contact surface of the endframe of the second part; or 
 arranging a seal between the contact surface of the endframe of the first part and the contact surface of the endframe of the second part; said method further comprising:
 arranging a groove in a beam of the endframe, the groove having an opening and walls that delimit the groove, wherein one of the walls delimiting the groove is a backward facing wall, the backward facing wall facing away from a contact surface, the connector having a protrusion that is arranged inside the groove; 
 wherein the connector has a protruding pin, a protruding bolt or a protruding hook and the contact surface is arranged in a plane (E); 
 wherein all remaining parts of the connector apart from the protruding pin, the protruding bolt or the protruding hook are arranged on one side of this plane (E); 
 wherein the backward facing wall is arranged in another plane (E 3 ); and 
 
 wherein the angle (ALPHA) between the plane (E), in which the contact surface is arranged, and the plane (E 3 ), in which the backward facing wall is arranged, is >0° and <90°.